


The Hopeless Case Known as "Kevin"

by scarcelyMischievous



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: (I think?), (It's just Kevin's face), Blood and Gore (mentions), Body Horror, Drug Withdrawal, Eventual Happy Ending, Gen, Imprisonment, Interrogation, Manipulation, Murder, One-Sided Relationship, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Past Drug Use, Post-Strex Kevin, Pre-Strex Kevin, Self Harm, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-29 15:53:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7690609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarcelyMischievous/pseuds/scarcelyMischievous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(An alternative twist to Episode 49: The Old Oak Doors Part B.)</p><p>Kevin was never sent to the Desert Otherworld. After Night Vale took back their beloved community from StrexCorp, Kevin was kept as a prisoner. Rather than face any true punishment, the Sheriff's Secret Police believe he deserves further examination before judging what he shall be condemned to.</p><p>Carlos has one week to question Kevin, get to know him, see just what was wrong with him and maybe even help him, before the radio host's fate is decided.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1: Introductions

 

Cecil had been vehemently against it. “We just won Night Vale back! You can’t be off to work, especially not with... _him_!” was his argument. And Carlos understood his concern. It’s not like he was being unreasonable. It had only been two days since the citizens of Night Vale were able to drive StrexCorp out of their town. Along with helping rid of any evidence that Strex was even here, the two didn’t exactly have enough time to spend together.

 

Then last night before he and Cecil were about to go to sleep, the Sheriff’s Secret Police came knocking at their door. They needed help with a prisoner, they had announced simultaneously. Help with the man who had tried to replace Cecil during the takeover. Apparently he had been knocked out by Steve Carlsberg (of which the very mention of his name had Cecil immediately cringing) and soon after was taken into custody.

 

The people of Night Vale were a fair one, the Secret Police had insisted. Why would it be anything different? Even someone in a car nearby that may or may not have been working for a secret yet menacing government agency vouched for them. And since they were fair, they were allowing the man from Desert Bluffs a chance to explain himself. Of course, someone from as horrible as a place as the Desert Bluffs couldn't be interrogated from someone with only a basic understanding of the neurological workings of a standard human being, or anything that came close to that matter. They needed a scientist.

 

Cue Carlos.

 

So here he was now, standing before a cell with windows that allowed him to see in, but not for the prisoner to see out. It was a bit of an understatement to say that Carlos was simply worried. But he was, after all, a scientist, and though the job was vigorous and demanding, he could push through. He had a week to work with the prisoner and help decide his fate; he better get started. With a deep breath, Carlos nodded to a guard standing next to the door, and the guard nodded back, allowing him entrance. He continued nodding even as Carlos entered, unable to stop.

 

Carlos had to resist a sharp inhale when he saw the man before him. He looked so much like Cecil, even though his back was facing Carlos. His hair, his skin, his very outline was like Cecil. It had taken Carlos off guard, and he wasn't sure how well he would be able to work with this.

 

But then the double turned around.

 

Any previous thoughts Carlos had about the prisoner looking like his boyfriend had violently pummeled itself out a metaphorical window. The face was all too wrong. Eyes- what was wrong with his _eyes_? Did he even own a pair? They were either gone, or his eyes were naturally a black so dark that it looked like you were staring into the void. A third eye on his forehead was bloodshot, the pupil a mere slit. And that smile-- was that a smile? No...it was more of a grin. A forced one, reaching up all the way to his cheekbones and lined with two neat rows of razor sharp teeth.

 

This wasn’t Cecil, nowhere close to him. This was Kevin, and he blinked up at Carlos menacingly. “Well _hello there!_ ” he greeted, and although his voice was cheerful and as friendly as could be, Carlos knew there was clear hostility. “I heard there was someone coming to have a lovely conversation with me. You’re one of the scientists, aren’t you?”

 

Carlos tried not to appear so openly unnerved. “That’s right. My name’s Carlos. It’s nice to meet you, Kevin.”

 

“And likewise!” Kevin leaned back on the hard platform that could almost pass off as a bed. “So. Why are you here? I doubt you’re here for just a simple visit. I noticed that a lot of people in Night Vale are incredibly rude and unaccepting.”

 

“Well, I actually am here just to talk, Kevin,” Carlos said, putting on a smile. He had to be friendly. That was the only way he was ever going to get anything out of this. “Care to tell me a little bit about yourself?”

 

“Oh, there's not much to know,” Kevin admitted with a modest chuckle. “I'm a simple radio host originally from Desert Bluffs. Nothing much more to it!” He then squinted at Carlos, as though he were trying to decipher something. “You seem very familiar, Carlos. Ah.” His grin seemed to widen, if that was even possible. “You're dating Cecil, aren't you?”

 

Carlos tensed at the question. He _really_ shouldn't answer that. Unfortunately, he hesitated too long, and the silence he gave Kevin was enough of an answer. “I thought so!” Kevin said. “Tell me, how is he? The poor thing, he must be terribly traumatized about everything that's happened. Do you know exactly how much he's been through while you and your other scientist friends went hiding? I would have hoped that his boyfriend would be _comforting_ him. Guess he doesn't really mean much, huh?”

 

Kevin barely knew Carlos, and yet he had already found a way deep under his skin. “This isn’t about him,” he said quickly, although he made a mental note to go straight home as soon as this was over so he could talk more with Cecil. “I was asking about you, remember?”

 

“And I told you all you needed to know.” Kevin then stood up from his bed, making Carlos take an instinctive step back, only to find the wall blocking him. The scientist tried his best not to show any fear as Kevin approached him, step by agonizing step. “I know you don't really want to be friends or anything, Carlos, but take some advice to heart.”

 

When he said heart, he jabbed a bloodstained fingernail at Carlos’s chest, and for a moment Carlos thought that the finger could even dig the organ out if its owner so wished. Kevin leaned forward, the stench of dry blood and terror nearly intoxicating at this close of a distance. “Don't waste your time. You and everyone else here have long proven to me that I don't need your cooperation, and vise versa. Also.” He flicked some of Carlos’s hair. “Do something about this, won't you? I think you might have the potential to look attractive if you do.”

 

He giggled and walked back to his bed, laying down and staring at the ceiling once more. Carlos was speechless, and for a moment forgot how to breathe. That moment didn't last long, of course, because he was a scientist and knew very much how breathing was essential for a majority of people.

 

...A scientist. _He was a scientist_. And as one, he couldn't let himself be intimidated by Kevin.

 

Straightening his posture, he stepped away from the wall. “How did you get involved with Strex?” he asked.

 

The question clearly caught Kevin by surprise. He looked up at Carlos, astounded to see him still there, and with the gall to ask something like that. “I believe I just said--”

 

“ _How did you get involved with Strex?”_ Carlos repeated. He reminded himself that he was the one in charge, not Kevin.

 

Kevin was quiet, and Carlos noted that there might have even been some confliction that flashed through his features. He then quickly shook his head, backing up on his bed. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Carlos.”

 

“And why not?”

 

Kevin’s third, demonic looking eye darted around the room frantically. “I can’t,” he repeated, gripping the edge of the bed. “Now. You would leave if you knew what was good for you, Carlos. Do you understand me?”

 

There was something about Kevin that was strange, other than his overall appearance. The way he delivered that sentence, it wasn’t just with unwillingness. There had to be more to it. The nervous way Kevin grew, the obvious strain he was displaying, it was as if he physically _couldn’t_ give the information. Or perhaps he was too afraid of any consequences he had to face beforehand if any information leaked out. Strex wasn’t the kindest to their ‘employees’, based on what Carlos got from the attempted takeover.

 

“Kevin, listen to me,” Carlos said, keeping his tone gentle. “No one is going to hurt you here, okay? You’re completely safe.”

 

“Safe?” Kevin nearly scoffed. “I’m not safe. I’m never safe. And neither are you. Or Cecil. Or _anyone_ in Night Vale. Do you think that just because you’re a scientist means you can save everyone?”

 

“I can try,” Carlos said. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”

 

“You really shouldn’t.” Kevin smirked. “But I suppose if you insist. Although, I warn you. It’s a hopeless case.”

 


	2. Day 2: Ice breakers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (give me a better chapter title maybe?)

No matter how determined Carlos was to see what he could do regarding the whole Kevin fiasco, he still felt dread just thinking about having to go back there. He could tell that there was something about Kevin that wasn't entirely malicious, but what he _had_ witnessed wasn't something to look forward to. He found it difficult to sleep, Kevin's distorted features etched into his mind.

“Carlos…?”

Carlos turned around, and his heart dropped. He reached hastily for his glasses on the bedside table, then let out a sigh of relief. Cecil was looking at him with concern. “What's wrong?”

He frowned faintly and moved closer to Cecil, wrapping his arms around him. Cecil hugged back, giving him a comforting squeeze. Carlos rested his head on Cecil’s shoulder. “It's just...you know. Kevin.”

Cecil tensed at the name. “You shouldn’t have to deal with him. Steve should have just pushed him through the doors and locked them behind him.”

Carlos sighed and shook his head. Usually Cecil was sweet, but if he hated something or someone, he’d express it fully unabashed. Just as he did with everything else (unless of course it was something he wasn’t permitted to express, quite obviously).

“Look, I know he’s done some bad things,” Carlos started, trying to carefully choose the words in his head. Cecil has had some pretty awful experiences that regarded Kevin, so he didn’t want to accidentally make it sound like he was belittling those incidences. “But...I think there’s something more to him than Strex and blood and teeth. And if I could figure out what that is, then maybe I can make things better for not only him, but everyone around him. Including you. You wouldn’t have to worry about him hurting you and trying to overthrow you or anything.”

Cecil looked down at him, and doubt was displayed obviously within the crescent moons of his irises. “Honey, I know that being a scientist is very close to being a miracle worker, but that honestly sounds improbable.”

After everything that they’ve experienced in Night Vale, Carlos was surprised that there was something Cecil _didn’t_ believe was possible, besides mountains. He leaned in and pressed a short but sweet kiss on Cecil’s lips. “We’ll see what happens, okay? It’ll be fine.”

The kiss definitely did something to perk Cecil up, but he still had a bit of a pout. “Just a week, right?”

“Just a week.”

 

*****

 

“Carlos, how lovely to see you back!”

Carlos forced a smile as he closed the cell door behind him, hearing the guard outside lock it. “Hello Kevin. Ready for another session?”

“Ooh, session! You make it sound so important,” Kevin said with a giggle, sitting up on his bed and rubbing his hands together as it they were about to cause some mischief. “So what did you have in mind for today, oh great scientist? Experimentation? Truth serum? Shock therapy?”

“None of those, actually,” Carlos said, and he sat himself in a chair that was bolted in the corner of the room. “I was thinking maybe we can start off with getting to know each other better.”

Kevin tilted his head curiously, his third eye blinking slowly at him while he other two remained staring. “Well, that certainly does sound nice. I'd be all for it if I cared to know anything about you!”

Carlos frowned a bit, but he was noticing things about Kevin. His right hand twitched every now and then, there were noticeable bags under his eyes(?), and he was perspiring lightly. Something was more off than usual, but Kevin acted like everything was just perfect, with that ever present grin. He decided to act on this analysis later on. For the meantime, he would try and get Kevin to open up.

Perhaps he would start with the hand, which was growing more and more irate. “Are you feeling okay?” he asked, directing his gaze to the limb.

It still took a moment for Kevin to realize what he was talking about, but when he did, he simply chuckled. “Oh, yes, of course. I'm always doing okay!” he said, even as his entire arm now was looking to be in a worse state.

“Really,” Carlos said in disbelief. “Your arm doesn't look so good. Is it an injury you received from Steve Carlsberg?”

“Not at all,” Kevin said, but his smile twitched as if he were struggling to keep it up. “It's just that I usually keep my arm on high maintenance, you see. It’s Strex-issued, but even so I need to do what I can to keep it clean and healthy!”

A prosthetic arm, huh? That was interesting. “Did you always need a prosthetic?” Carlos asked curiously.

Kevin shifted in his seat. “Well, no. I received it after I signed up with Strex and they provided me some pretty helpful insurance, silly.”

“I see,” Carlos murmured to himself, adjusting his glasses. “Why did you need it in the first place?”

Kevin waved his hand dismissively, and he looked humored. “It was when they were first contracting me, back when I was young and stubborn, you know? I was blind to all of the good that Strex did because I was afraid of change.”

Now they were getting somewhere. Carlos could hear a great deal of sugarcoating in Kevin's words, making him wonder what there was to hide. “You resisted Strex,” Carlos clarified.

Kevin shook his finger at Carlos, playfully chastising. “‘Resist’ is such an ugly word! No, I just wasn't _persuaded_ well enough is all. I suppose at the time Strex didn't have the best advertising campaigns out there yet,” he corrected with a giggle.

“So how did they advertise, Kevin?” Carlos asked, gaining more confidence with the progress he believed he was making. “Did they start off abruptly, with paid commercials that you had no choice but to say on air? Did they gradually start taking over every aspect of Desert Bluffs before there was nothing at all left of what you originally knew it as?”

Kevin stiffened, and much of the cheerfulness of his features were turning into something dangerous. Carlos continued. “And when you were being stubborn, when you weren't ‘persuaded’, you were _fighting_ , weren't you? Just like Night Vale was when you were trying to enforce the same fate--!”

Before Carlos knew what was happening, Kevin was on him, tackling him to the ground. He held him down, and one hand reached for his neck, but Carlos quickly grabbed it before he could do any damage. “I'm right, aren't I?” he asked quietly.

Kevin gritted his teeth, trying to reach down and choke the words out of Carlos, but it was his artificial arm that the scientist was holding, which wasn't up to par. He still held Carlos down with everything he had. “I'm afraid you have no idea what you're talking about, and it would be in your best interest to stop,” he said.

“Or what?” Carlos asked, keeping calm but defiant. He looked Kevin straight in the eyes and ignored the unnerving feeling that grew stronger the longer he stared. “Will your insurance kick in, will Strex help you? It's been taken over by the ange-- winged creatures. And anyone who worked for them before have fled or defected. No one has even asked for you Kevin, not a single phone call regarding your release or even details on your imprisonment.”

Carlos expected maybe a slap to the face, or even an attempt to gouge his eyes out. But Kevin surprised him by looking completely heartbroken. “Wait...no one?” he asked shakily. “There-- there must be some mistake. I should have gotten at least one call, I know I should have!”

There was a sense of urgency in his words that said this wasn't just about a company abandoning him. There was something more personal about it. Before Carlos could question him further, Kevin got off of him and stood back. “Get out.”

Carlos frowned, standing up cautiously. “Kevin--”

“I said _get out!”_ Kevin suddenly yelled. It was such a horrible sound, so different from his usual casual lilt; it had to be the most frightening thing about him that Carlos had witnessed. Without another word, he stepped out of the room.


	3. Day 3: Withdrawal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapters may be coming out slower than usual since I've started college, but I'll do my best to update constantly!

When Carlos arrived at the holding cell the next day, he didn't enter at first. He took the time to look through the window of the cell. It allowed anyone to see from the outside, but from the inside it was just another wall. 

 

Carlos bit his lip, fingers tapping restlessly at his side. Kevin was curled up in his bed, shaking. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal new scratches, bloody welts trailing down his skin. Every now and then he would break out in a fit of laughter, which sounded more like sobbing. It was a pitiful display.

 

“Has he slept?” Carlos asked the guard.

 

“Nope,” the guard answered. “He hasn't really been getting any rest in general. We sent someone to cut his fingernails because of the damage he was doing to himself, but they nearly got their entire throat ripped out.”

 

Carlos winced as he imagined the pain. “At least they're okay though, right?” he asked. 

 

“Oh, no, not at all,” the guard said with a shake of the head. “They still got part of it ripped. It's kinda just hanging--”

 

“I get the picture,” Carlos quickly interrupted, a hand going to his own throat. He had to wait for Kevin to calm down before risking something like that. 

 

In the meantime, he would see how he could help Kevin from this safe distance. He'd mentally jotted down different quirks and symptoms he saw in Kevin, humming thoughtfully. “Another question. Did Kevin have anything on him that you had to confiscate before you put him in here?”

 

The guard shrugged. “Typical things we’ve found on a lot of the Desert Bluff citizens. Weapons, razors, drugs, miniature scriptures from the Smiling God, the usual.”

 

“Drugs?” Carlos asked, raising an eyebrow. Now that he thought about it, he did remember seeing a strange yellow liquid being injected into a lot of the Strex employees after he went into hiding, when they didn’t think he was looking. And it was only for some of them, the ones that weren’t entirely obedient. The drugs were about to be used on some of the Night Vale citizens as well before the revolt took place. 

 

That might explain Kevin’s strange behavior. Carlos wasn’t sure when Kevin had last been injected with the drug, but if it had been a while and he had grown dependent on it, the radio host was definitely feeling the side effects right now. “I’m going to go in now,” he told the guard after a shaky breath. “Do you think you can send a sample of the drug to my lab while I’m here?”

 

“Not a problem,” the guard said.

 

Good. Now that that was settled, Carlos entered the room. As soon as he opened the door, Kevin shot up from his bed, third eye darting around madly. He grinned however, even though it was unsteady. “Back for another day of probing?” he asked.

 

“Seems like it,” Carlos said. He didn’t try to feign friendliness like he had previously. He was too wary for any of that. He sat in his usual chair, staring Kevin down to show that he wasn’t intimidated. “How have you been doing since we last talked? Anything you want to get off your mind?”

 

Kevin chuckled and lolled his head to the side, trying to appear casual even though his leg was shaking restlessly. “Oh Carlos, I have been absolutely splendid!” he said, which was an obvious lie. He didn’t have enough in him to put some conviction into the statement. “But, um…” He looked like he was averting his gaze. “The phone call. Are you sure I haven’t gotten one yet? Perhaps a new one today?”

 

Carlos frowned and shook his head. “I’m sorry, there hasn’t been anything,” he answered, and watched as Kevin practically deflated. “Why? Who are you expecting to hear from?”

 

“Oh, just…” Kevin attempted to frown, but with the way his mouth had been forced into a grin, it was a near impossible feat. “My boss. Yeah. He’s...I thought he’d be wondering where I was, or at least want to know how I’m doing. Maybe try to bail me out of here, heh…”

 

Carlos tilted his head. He knew the tone that Kevin was using. It was similar to the one he often heard Cecil use when he talked about him. Kevin genuinely cared for his boss, maybe even loved him. “What...What was he like?” he asked.

 

For a moment, Kevin looked like he honestly didn’t know how to answer. “What a very interesting question, Carlos!” he said eventually. “Well, you and him actually share quite the resemblance. Although, admittedly, he was much more handsome.” He chuckled, but Carlos was too focused on finding any answers to take much offense. “Diego is his name. Oh, how he’s made me so happy. Happier than I’ve ever been, happier than I even thought possible! He’s one of the best things that’s came out of my employment with Strex and devotion to the Smiling God!”

 

“So where is he?”

 

Now Kevin was trying harder than ever to keep on this delighted facade. “He’s-- Well, he’s most likely recovering from the loss of the corporation that’s meant everything to him, of course!” he said matter-of-factly.

 

Carlos didn’t want to sound harsh, but it seemed like it was the only way he would ease himself out of this forced persona. “What does that make you to him, then?” he asked, trying to keep his voice soft.

 

“I...I’m...I know I’m important to him!” Kevin said defensively. “Of course I am! I’m the voice of Desert Bluffs, I’ve done everything he’s ever asked of me, I love him! That in itself is important enough!”

 

Carlos wanted to continue further on with this subject, but he felt that if he did, Kevin would kick him out again as he had the day previous. He needed Kevin to be cooperative. Or rather,  _ wanted _ it. From what he was gathering, Kevin’s had enough forced out of him already.

 

For now, he would steer clear of mentioning any specific people. Instead, he'd focus on why Kevin was twitching so much and acting stranger than usual, wanting to confirm his suspicions on the drugs. “I'd like to ask you another question, of you don't mind,” Carlos said, and continued quickly, suspecting that Kevin would mind very much. “There were pills found on you before you were submitted here. May I ask what they were for?”

 

Seemingly grateful for the change of subject, Kevin laced his fingers together, resting his head on them as he rocked back and forth slightly. “Ah, yes! I assure you, they're not bad. Very helpful, in fact! They help keep us productive, you see, and they don't really give us a chance to feel unenergized.”

 

So they were basically a stimulant? It was strange, then, that Kevin seemed even more restless without their aid. “Has Strex offered you anything else to...assist you when it came to meeting their demands?” Carlos asked.

 

“Well of course!” Kevin said as if it should have been obvious. “Sometimes people need just a little extra motivation, so Strex had this nifty little mixture to help with that. It's like liquidated sunshine! A nice substance injected into your system, sweet and warm, so warm that it seems hot. Burning, even! Like your insides are literally on fire and you’re being scorched by the very will of the Smiling God-- Oh, I swear, it is  _ heavenly.”  _

 

It sounded more like reconditioning to Carlos. “By the way you’re describing it, I’m guessing you’ve had plenty of experience with it?” he asked.

 

Kevin nodded enthusiastically. “Indeed I have. Especially during the early days of my employment. I was such a Debbie Downer back then, you could hardly blame them,” he explained, his leg shaking even more. “Although I’ll admit, I haven’t undergone any of those injections for quite some time. Diego was so proud of me when I didn’t need it anymore! He said I was finally perfect, and oh, how that made my heart flutter.”

 

The way he said it added even more concern. The very mention of Diego looked like it clouded Kevin’s senses. It was said with such admiration and care, the kind that people used when they were talking about a person they would do anything for. It was as if this Diego person had just as much control over Kevin as Strex did, if not more. 

 

Carlos got up from his seat. “I think that’s enough for today,” he concluded. He was desperate to get to the lab and see what exactly were in those pills. If he could come up with some sort of antiserum, maybe he could get better answers out of Kevin. 

 

Kevin pouted at the announced departure, but he nodded his understanding. “Of course, of course. I liked today’s discussion, Carlos! You haven’t made me too upset, and I appreciate that.” He giggled. “I can’t wait to talk to you again.”

 

“Yeah,” Carlos said. “Neither can I.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends, if you want to read more on Diego and Kevin pertaining to this chapter's content, check out a one shot of mine:
> 
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/7346323


	4. Day 4: Solution?

The next afternoon, Carlos woke up in his lab. Not an uncommon occurrence for the scientist. 

 

He sat up groggily in his seat. Both his goggles and the glasses underneath them were askew, there was dry drool on the corner of his mouth (which he quickly wiped away), and he didn’t even bother to check what state his hair was in. On the table in front of him were scattered beakers and petri dishes. In the middle, there was a single bottle. Moving forward in his seat, Carlos squinted at the strange liquid inside of it. What once was gold had turned a bright violet. 

 

“That’s right,” he whispered to himself. He recalled the last...however or so hours; time wasn’t something he tried to keep track of nowadays. After lots of experimentation and science, Carlos had managed to find a way to counter the effects of the drugs. It had cost him probably three meals and a proper amount of sleep, but he remembered the triumph he felt as soon as he figured it out.

 

He smiled wearily to himself as he stared at the bottle, before noticing his phone off to the side. He didn’t even need to turn it on to know what was probably going to be awaiting him. Five voicemails from Cecil. He pressed the first one and listened to it on speaker as he carefully packed the bottle.

 

_ “Carlos? Where have you been? Your sessions with Kevin haven’t taken this long before-- did he do something to hurt you? Are you okay?! Please call me if you’re able.” _

 

_ “I’m heading over to the station to see if you’re still there, okay?” _

 

_ “I’m grateful that apparently you’re just at your lab and everything, but you should really call beforehand! I thought something horrible happened to you. Kevin-- Oh god, I saw him. He’s just as worse as the last time. I don’t want to think of the things he can do to hurt you, Carlos.” _

 

_ “Should I assume that this is another night where you’re going to be too involved in your work to come home? Um, hm… I’m just going to prepare myself a meal, but if you’re coming, let me know twenty minutes before you get here so I can make you something too.” _

 

_ “I’m going to bed...Call me tomorrow, okay? Love you.” _

 

Carlos felt guiltier with every message. He knew how frantic Cecil got on a regular basis whenever Carlos was gone unexpectedly. Now things were worse than ever. Cecil had been terrified that he had lost Carlos forever in the desert otherworld, and even now that he was back, he had to face someone dangerous that Cecil was openly threatened by. As soon as he could, he would go home and scoop up his boyfriend in his arms and assure him that everything was all right.

 

But not yet. He would never let Cecil hear this, but right now, Kevin was his first priority. He brought the bag that he placed the bottle in and headed out.

 

*****

Kevin was just as he was when Carlos last left him, if not a little worse. He showed no signs of getting any kind of rest, he seemed to be sweating more, and there were new bite marks all over his arms. 

 

Carlos strode in with a confidence he didn't have before. “Hello again, Kevin,” he greeted, setting his bag down and sitting in his usual spot. He even had a small grin on his face. “How have you been?”

 

Kevin blinked, clearly confused by the way Carlos was acting. He couldn't find his words for a moment. “Uh...I'm great!” he said after regaining himself. “You seem extra perky yourself. Did something happen? Oh, let me guess. Cecil finally let you off that short leash of yours, didn’t he? Oh, I just saw him yesterday, he was looking for you everywhere! How suffocating that must be--”

 

“Uh huh, sure,” Carlos interrupted distractedly, much to Kevin’s annoyance. He opened his bag and pulled out the bottle, and he noticed that Kevin immediately grew cautious of it. Carlos held one hand out in front of him, giving a reassuring smile. “Hey, it's okay--”

 

“What is that?” Kevin asked, eying the liquid suspiciously. 

 

“Don't worry,” Carlos quickly assured. “I made it to help--”

 

“Help?” Kevin laughed in clear disbelief. “Don't overestimate yourself.”

 

Again, Carlos didn't seem to pay mind to Kevin's negativity. Instead, he got out a syringe, a small bottle of alcohol, and some bandages as well. “Kevin, please trust me on this,” he said, looking at him hopefully. “I'm not doing this for some evil company like Strex. Hell, I'm not even doing it for Night Vale at this point. This is purely for your sake. So  _ please,  _ let me do this for you.”

 

Kevin was silent. He stared at the bottom, and it looked like he was having difficulty controlling his breathing. “What does it do, hm?”

 

“The substance was created to cancel out any of the other chemicals that were previously injected by Strex,” Carlos explained, sucking the liquid in with the syringe. He gave another look to Kevin. “I don't want to do this against your will. So...is this okay?”

 

Kevin seemed astounded by the fact that Carlos asked. He bit his lip, before giving a half hearted shrug. “Oh, I suppose so!” he finally said.

 

Carlos smiled faintly, glad for the consent, and prepared the syringe. Before he finished, he handed Kevin a pill. “Here, it's a sedative,” he said. “I don't know how long it will take for this concoction I made to kick in, but hopefully it will by the time you wake up. Plus, in all honesty, you need the rest.”

 

There was no more hesitation from Kevin, replaced by humor instead, as if he were going along with a child's made up game. Carlos hoped that wasn't all this was.

 

*****

Once Kevin took in the liquid and the pill, he soon grew unconscious. Unlike the other days, however, Carlos didn't leave. Instead, he shot Cecil a quick text, telling him he wouldn't be home again, before making himself comfortable in his seat. 

 

He stared at Kevin, both awed and perturbed by how  _ peaceful _ he looked. Anything that didn't scream ‘hostility’ just didn't seem right on Kevin. Not only that, but seeing him at rest like this painfully reminded Carlos of Cecil, who may be looking the same right now as well. Only a few more days, and then Carlos could spend all the much needed time with his boyfriend as possible. 

 

For now, Carlos decided to catch up on the sleep he'd neglected in favor of sciencing. He slept a good few hours before something abruptly woke him up, making him fall off his chair as well.

 

It was a familiar position, one that he had found himself on a couple of days ago in fact. Him on the ground, Kevin on top of him and trying to severely hurt him. Except this time, Carlos didn't have a chance to defend. Kevin's hands were wrapped around his throat, gradually adding more pressure. Carlos let out a strangled gasp, trying to force Kevin off, and then he looked up at him.

 

His eyes. What were wrong with his eyes? The black in them, they were...starting to disappear? White and yellow were starting to peek through, which Carlos delusionally compared to sunny side up eggs drowning in an oil spill. And in Kevin's expression was none of the craziness that had constantly been there before. It was complete and utter fear.

 

Carlos desperately grabbed at Kevin's arm. “K-- Kevin…!” he managed to choke out, and Kevin's eyebrows raised in frantic confusion. His grip loosened, but he didn't let go. Did he even realize what he was doing? Then it came to him. “Kevin, i-it’s me, Carlos.  _ Carlos.” _

 

Kevin's eyes widened, and he let go. He quickly scooted back on the ground until he hit the wall. Shaking all over, he curled in on himself, grabbing madly at his hair. “Oh God…”

 

Carlos sat up, gasping for air and rubbing his throat, but all of his concern was on Kevin. “Kevin…?” he asked hesitantly.

 

Kevin gritted his teeth, his trembling worsening as he looked up at the scientist. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but only a cry escaped. He curled back in on himself, trying to get as small as possible while sobs wracked through his body. 

 

Carlos was stunned. Had the antidote not worked properly? Did it do more damage than good? He swallowed thickly and slowly approached the other the way one would to a frightened animal. “...You need time to get yourself together,” he noted softly, standing up. “I’ll go if that’s what you need--”

 

“N-No!” Kevin quickly reached for Carlos’s labcoat, preventing him from going anywhere. He looked completely wrecked and desperate, tears streaming down his cheeks and chest heaving. “N-No, no no no, please, I can’t-- I can’t be alone right now, don’t make me be alone, please,  _ please--” _

 

Carlos hushed him quickly, sliding back down to his knees so he was at height with Kevin. “Okay. Okay, I’m here. I won’t be going anywhere,” he assured. “It’s okay now Kevin, you’re going to be fine.”

 

Kevin managed to laugh in between his sobs, shaking his head over and over. “I won’t,” he whispered. “I really, really won’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted this to be done sooner, but again, school ;-;
> 
> Comments have really been encouraging me though, so I mean, if you wanna leave another one down there, that'd be nice. ^^;


	5. Day 5: Breakdown

Dealing with Kevin in the state he was right now was going to be an extremely delicate process.

 

Currently, he was cowering in the corner on the bed-like platform. Carlos had requested a thicker blanket and a glass of water, which were now with Kevin. He was wrapped entirely in the blanket, shivering and barely able to drink any of the water without spilling some of it. Kevin’s eyes were the same as they were previous, with the blackness fogging over what his actual eyes must have originally looked like beneath.

 

After a long while of silence, Carlos decided to cautiously break it. “How are you feeling…?” he asked.

 

Kevin jumped a little at the sound of Carlos’s voice, nearly dropping his glass completely. “N-Not well, honestly, not well at all,” he said shakily. He let out a weak laugh, curling up even more in the blanket. “Everything is wrong. They won...They  _ won,  _ Carlos…”

 

He was talking about Strex. Of course. They were the ones behind all of this. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry about what happened to Desert Bluffs,” Carlos said softly. “But...they’re defeated now. They can’t hurt you anymore.”

 

Kevin choked back a sob. “That doesn’t change what I’ve  _ done!”  _ he said. “Once Strex took over, I’ve let so many bad things happen…”

 

“You didn’t have any control over that--”

 

“Do you think that eases the pain any less?!” Kevin snapped. He gritted his teeth and rubbed his face. “M-Maybe I could have fought them off better. I could have resisted everything they’ve done to me, and I wouldn’t have hurt other people in return. People I may have once called friends, dead by my hands without me having any control over myself. I did it, and nothing will ever change that fact.”

 

“It wasn’t just you. Everyone in your town fought. Strex was just too powerful. It wasn’t any of your faults.” Carlos tried to rationalized. But even now, he could see that it was going to be difficult. Kevin was coming back to his senses all too fast, and it was taking its toll on him. 

 

Kevin let out a shaky laugh. “It still happened, it still happened.” He muttered this a few more times before shedding off the blanket and pulling his sleeves up. He showed Carlos one of his arms that had multiple marks and damage on it but didn’t seem like it faced much pain. “Do you see this? It’s fake. The real one was ripped off after I tried to use my own body to block the way to the radio station. It got in their way. They were merciful enough to give me a fake arm afterwards to be more ‘productive’.”

 

He then pulled one of his pant legs up. The leg that Carlos saw was a different skin tone then Kevin’s. “But this?” Kevin continued. “This belonged to someone. A nice man who used to be a friend of mine. He was the best scoutmaster you could find out there. You know what happened to him? He wasn’t working. He was  _ resisting,  _ somehow able to still find enough of himself to have a sense of independence.”

 

Tears formed in the corner of Kevin’s eyes again, but he tried to hold them back. “Nothing Strex was doing was working on him. He came to me in hopes that he could change me back as well, to what I had been prior to all the hell we had been through. B-But I wouldn’t listen to him. I didn’t want to hear any of his bad talk. Rather, I wanted him to take everything back and embrace the Smiling God, ask for His forgiveness! But he just wouldn’t  _ listen,  _ Carlos, he was so stubborn!” 

 

Carlos could see how remembering all of this was tearing Kevin apart, but he let him continue. After being forced to hold all of this in for so long, letting it out would be better for him. And so Kevin went on. He sniffled, still attempting to hold back his tears. “Where we were was monitored-- Of course, everywhere is monitored, so it wasn’t surprising in the least-- And then Lauren came over with a couple of other Strex employees. They held my friend down, despite his protests, and I let them. Even when he begged for my help. Lauren praised me for my loyalty and personally ripped off his leg, a-as a fucking GIFT for me!”

 

“Kevin--”

 

“Don’t you dare try to dismiss my actions again,” Kevin warned through gritted teeth. “I let that happen. I took  _ joy _ out of it! So many people I cared about, gone in more ways than one. Even my intern...I-I don’t know about Night Vale, but back home, we took care of our interns. We...We used to, at least. But when she was being murdered by her double, I had to broadcast like nothing was wrong and immediately cover for it, lie that she was okay! Pretend that everything was just fine and that I wasn’t watching her get beaten to death! Oh God, she was just a  _ kid… _ ”

 

He grabbed the blanket and covered his face. “A-And even now...I-I can’t stop smiling…!” he sobbed. “After everything that happened, I can’t frown about it! I can never truly express my remorse, I can only look happy! Even now, I can feel  _ laughter _ bubbling deep down. Why the hell do I want to laugh about this?! They’ve ruined me, ruined everything, and nothing is going to change that!” 

 

This was too much. Carlos walked over and sat down next to Kevin. “It’s true that none of you ever deserved what happened. God, nobody does. But...I just want you to know that you’re in a safe place now,” he assured softly. “Nobody is going to try to hurt you. You can take as much time you need to recover. And you won’t have to do it alone. I’ll be here.”

 

There was silence, and then Kevin peeked his eyes out of the blanket. The whites that had been made visible were now bloodshot. His eyes compensated for all of the emotions Kevin was unable to express with the rest of his face, but right now, they seemed so empty. Hopeless. “Safe?” he repeated quietly. “Don’t lie to me. Why am I here in the first place? Because Night Vale actually cares about my well-being? No. I’m here because there’s a chance I’m going to be tried by your court and found guilty. Right?”

 

Carlos hesitated. “...I was sent here to see how you worked. You were too complicated to deal with, so...I’m here to see if you’re really guilty or innocent. And I truly believe it’s the latter.”

 

Kevin let out a humorless breath. “You better retract that statement soon. I’m guilty as can be. I helped Strex get here, I helped kick your boyfriend out of his own radio station, I tried to do to Night Vale what Strex had done to the Desert Bluffs. That’s...unforgivable.”

 

“You were a pawn used by Strex, Kevin,” Carlos argued. “You were under their influence. If you hadn’t been, you would have never done any of the things you did. You may even have helped us. I’m not going to let any judge sentence you to prison, all right? So don’t worry about any of that, okay?”

 

Kevin’s eyebrows furrowed, and he seemed confused, before looking away. “You’re so different…” he muttered. 

 

“Hm?”

 

He shook his head. “Nothing. Look...you’ve been here a while now. I’m guessing you slept overnight. You seemed really tired before you gave me...whatever it was you made. You should really go home.”

 

“You need someone here with you,” Carlos argued.

 

“What are you talking about? I have lovely guards all around,” Kevin said, some of that fake friendliness still tracing his voice. “But...Cecil doesn’t have anyone right now. You should really be spending more time with him. One of us deserves a good boyfriend at least.”

 

Carlos  _ had _ been spending a lot of time away from Cecil lately. He missed him, wanted to go back and hold him, just spend some time with each other relaxing and enjoying one another’s presence. But could he truly enjoy it while knowing that Kevin was still suffering here? “I don’t know…”

 

“Hey…” Kevin’s eyes looked more gentle. “Go. I need to be by myself right now anyway. Don’t let me hold you back.”

 

Carlos frowned, but after a few moments he got up. “I’ll be back early tomorrow, okay?” he said. Kevin only nodded, laying back down and once again holding the blanket tightly around himself. Carlos was still tentative about leaving him here, but he did have a point. Cecil needed him too. After a few more moments of studying him, Carlos left.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and support so far! I may not reply to some of them (because I'm kinda just awkward and don't know how to respond to things sometimes whoops) but I appreciate it!


	6. Day 6: Consolation

Usually being with Cecil made difficult situations tolerable. Just his very presence would fill the scientist with relief and optimism. However, right now, he couldn’t get his mind off of Kevin. It seemed like Carlos was always getting some sort of message from the guards at the holding cells. If Kevin wasn’t trying to hurt himself one moment, he trying to hurt someone else the next. He was going between phases of complete hysteria and quiet comatose-like states.

 

Carlos was staring down at the dinner, barely having eaten any of it. Every now and then he would sneak a glance at his phone, watching for any light in the corner to indicate he had a new message. He felt something touch his hand and flinched back, but when he looked up, it was Cecil. His hand had began to recoil away, but Carlos quickly grabbed it, lacing their fingers together.

 

“Sorry,” he quickly apologized, trying to offer a smile.

 

Cecil frowned. “I don’t need your apologies,” he said, giving Carlos’s hand a small squeeze. “I just want you to be okay. And you haven’t been anywhere near ‘okay’ since you started seeing Kevin.”

 

He wasn’t wrong. “He’s going through a hard time, sweetie, you’ve got to understand--”

 

“No- No, I do understand.”

 

Carlos looked at Cecil with surprise. Understanding about this subject wasn’t something Carlos expected Cecil to fully have, or even want for that matter. “You do?”

 

Cecil nodded, his third eye looking to the side. “The more details you’ve told me about this, the more I’ve been putting myself in his shoes. If what you’re saying is true, then he...he used to be just like me. A simple radio host who wanted the best for his community. What Strex tried to do to me and Night Vale was something that succeeded in Desert Bluffs. Now, I’ve never ever liked Desert Bluffs, _ever,_ but I just feel that Kevin...I would've hated him a little less.”

 

This was a lot coming from Cecil, and Carlos couldn’t help but feel even more astonished. “So you get it.”

 

“I do,” Cecil said. He looked like something was going on in his head, his eyes showed obvious confliction, but he let out a deep breath. “I think...Maybe when you see him again, I should go with you.”

 

“Wh-- _Really?”_ Carlos asked, not even trying to hide his shock.

 

“Yes _really_ ,” Cecil said, trying to feign offense at the scientist’s surprise. But then he was the one to try and smile for Carlos. “For both of your sakes.”

 

*****

  


They made their way to the holding cells hand in hand. When there, Carlos told Cecil to wait outside until Carlos said it was okay.

 

Kevin was pacing back and forth, and Carlos noticed that he had mittens taped onto his hands. Those were the precautions the guards had taken? Well...at least it was something. When Carlos entered, Kevin jumped slightly and spun around. His eyes were changing more as well too. Only black spots freckled the whites, but the yellow irises were clear to see. Like the sun being revealed after a storm.

 

“You’re back,” Kevin said shakily, and seemed relieved because of the fact. “I didn’t know how long it would take for you to come back. Has it been a day already? A few hours?”

 

“Hard to say; time’s weird,” Carlos said with a shrug, and took his usual seat. He looked up at Kevin steadily, studying him. “So how are you feeling?”

 

Kevin choked back a laugh. “I don’t know, answer that for me. You should know me well enough by now, right? Tell me how I’m feeling.”

 

Carlos clicked his tongue,and adjusted his glasses. “Clearly not well,” he noted. “You’re frantic, nervous. Your anxiety levels must be sky-rocketing. Suffering from the side effects from the drug I gave you, withdrawals from the previous Strex drugs, and overall PTSD. Does that sound about right?”

 

“Haha, b-bingo!” Kevin cheered weakly. “Wow. You’re so smart, no wonder you’re a scientist. You know, I used to think scientists were the absolute _worst,_ but you’re just peachy!”

 

He was resorting back to his forced happiness, Carlos noted. Probably because that was how he lived for long, that he was just used to it at this point. “Kevin, are you in the mood to have any other visitors?”

 

This caught Kevin’s curiosity. “Oh, am I allowed?” he asked. “I wasn’t aware. I mean, sure, but, haha, who would want to visit me, hm?”

 

Carlos bit his lip for a moment, before glancing over at the one-way mirror, where he was sure Cecil was watching. He couldn’t lock eyes with him, but he gave a curt nod as a signal for him to enter.

 

It was only a moment before Cecil came in. He was trying to hold himself high, making sure that he wasn’t showing any intimidation. Carlos saw that after taking one look at Kevin, intimidation was no longer a factor Cecil had to worry about.

 

Kevin ceased his pacing, surprised by the sight of his double. “Cecil. What are you doing here?” he asked.

 

“I, uh…” Cecil tried to regain himself. Carlos knew that little could hold him back when it came to his words and how he expressed himself. “I thought I could offer some help.”

 

“Help.” Kevin repeated the word as if it were foreign, and he eyed Cecil suspiciously, before looking back at Carlos. “Are you sure you’re not just here to offer your boyfriend some moral support? I can’t see why you of all people would want to help me.”

 

“Because I know that you don’t deserve everything that’s happened to you.” Cecil said, straightening up a bit. “I want to help you recover, because if the same happened to me--”

 

“The same almost _did_ happen to you, in case that slipped your memory,” Kevin snapped. “Because of me. Remember? It’s my fault. Everything is my fault! I don’t deserve your help--”

 

“Kevin, please.” Cecil looked at Kevin, before taking in a deep breath. Carlos was almost scared to see what the other was planning. Both he and Kevin were speechless when Cecil unexpectedly wrapped his arms around his double.

 

Kevn stammered, arms awkwardly at his side. Carlos could see the confusion on his face over Cecil’s shoulders. Kevin cleared his throat before trying to speak again. “What- What are you doing?”

 

“I’m trying to start the entire process of forgiveness,”Cecil said matter-of-factly. “Don’t you remember? The first time we ever met, you tried to hug me just like this, and then I promptly attempted to strangle you.”

 

Kevin was trying to blink tears out of his eyes. “Yes...Yes, I remember well,” he murmured.

 

“At the time, you hadn’t done anything wrong. To Night Vale at least, as far as I know,” Cecil continued. His tone was getting softer, close to the same tone he used whenever Carlos was in a frenzied panic and needed something to keep him stable. “So I think this is a good starting place, yeah?”

 

“I’m not angry at you about that,” Kevin sniffled, not pulling away from Cecil’s embrace. “It’s fine. But...Why would you even consider forgiving _me?”_

 

“Because I’ve never gotten the chance to get to know the _real you._ The man I met was a mindless pawn to an antagonistic dictatorship. You never had a choice that was purely yours, that wasn’t influenced by StrexCorp wanted. From what Carlos told me, _that_ Kevin is starting to fade away more and more, while the real you is finally seeing the light of day again. I want to get to know that Kevin first. If I hate you then, then I hate you. But as far as I’m concerned...we’ve never properly met. So hi, my name is Cecil Palmer. Welcome to Night Vale, Kevin.”

 

There was no use fighting back the tears now, it seemed. Kevin finally brought his hands up to hug Cecil back, clutching the fabric of his shirt like a lifeline. He buried his face in Cecil’s shoulder, sobbing. Carlos watched the scene before him, and he felt many things. He was proud of Kevin, for finally seeming to accept the forgiveness. He was proud of Cecil, for putting any harsh feelings aside and seeing a new perspective that just may have made someone’s life much better. He was looking towards a brighter future, and he had confidence that he could convince the Secret Police to not give Kevin a horrible sentence.

 

He felt, well...He felt hopeful, and by the looks of it, so did Kevin.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays, here's a present!
> 
> A slight disclaimer; I apologize if Cecil seems out of character here, I was struggling a bit with writing him this time around.


	7. Day 7: Road to Recovery

After a lot of soothing and encouraging words from Cecil, Kevin was a lot easier to work with. He would begin to panic every now and then, yes, but he allowed himself to be comforted whenever Carlos and Cecil intervened. He let their voices ease his nerves and get him on track once more, which was a relief for all of them.

 

The three of them talked for hours. It was hard to get Kevin to open up earlier, but he allowed himself to talk about his old life in Desert Bluffs before Strex came along. There really were a lot of similarities between them and Night Vale, it seemed. Not just with the whole case of ‘doubles’ and everything, either. The citizens didn’t always get along, and certainly expressed their differences with one another time and time again. But when it really mattered, everyone gathered as a community and as a big family.

 

When Kevin spoke of them, Carlos noted how choked up he would occassionally get, especially when talking about his old friends. But he was expressing himself in a healthy way for once in a long time, and that’s what mattered. The mittens stayed on Kevin’s hands for safety, but he didn’t seem to make any subconcious move to scratch at himself. Another good sign.

 

Carlos and Cecil left that day after giving more hugs to Kevin (he really did seem to be the physically affectionate type). The young man had a smile on his face, as per usual, but it didn’t seem as forced as it had always been. 

 

Finally, the last day came upon them. Cecil insisted to come again, and of course Carlos didn’t think of objecting. They walked hand in hand into the holding cell, feeling more determined than ever.

 

Kevin was fast asleep, bundled up in his thick blanket and looking more peaceful than ever. At first, Carlos thought he looked more like Cecil. Then, he corrected himself. He just looked like Cecil because he looked very  _ normal,  _ at least compared to what he had seemed when he was extremely allied with Strex. It wasn’t so much Cecil that Carlos was seeing but the actual Kevin that had been locked up inside for so long. A completely individual spirit with the same amount of passion. 

 

Although already inside, Carlos knocked softly on the door, and Kevin stirred with a quiet groan. His eyes reluctantly flickered open, and this time there was no black. The whites in his eyes seemed normal, and his iris was a pure yellow with what looked like suns for pupils. Very fitting.

 

At the sight of the couple before him, Kevin grinned and sat up. He stretched, hearing a few satisfying cracks, and looked up at the two. “It’s good to see you again,” he greeted. His voice was mellow and lacked the condescension it previous held.

 

“Hey Kevin, it’s good to see you too,” Carlos greeted, sitting in his usual chair. Cecil sat next to him, in a seat that the guards had brought in for him yesterday. “Today’s the last day before the trial. How’re you feeling?”

 

Kevin shivered but sat up straight and proper. “Nervous, naturally. But I have faith,” he said. 

 

“Carlos has a good defense for you, I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Cecil assured, and Kevin beamed. 

 

It was true that Carlos thought he had a pretty solid argument at hand. He had been entrusted with Kevin at all because his opinion on the subject mattered, after all. He had talked to the lawyer who had been appointed for Kevin, and luckily he seemed pretty competent. A lot of odds were at their favor, it seemed.

 

Kevin’s smiled dropped a little, and he glanced away. “But...on the chance that we won’t win this…”

 

Carlos frowned. “It isn’t good to talk like that--”   
  


“I’m sorry. I’m just trying to be realistic,” Kevin inturrupted. “I want to know all the possible outcomes. Will I just be locked up forever in some prison? Or would they take more, uh…” He gulped. “Y’know.  _ Drastic  _ measures.”

 

Carlos looked at Cecil for a moment, noting his worried expression, before looking back to Kevin. “It’s hard to tell at this point,” he answered honestly. “While you weren’t directly responsible, more like an accomplice, however unwilling, we still can’t be sure what the consequences will be.”

 

Kevin let out a shaky breath. “Of course,” he said. “I suppose I expected that answer. Well, that’s fine. Perfect. We’ll just have to wait and see, yeah?” He chuckled nervously. “How exciting!”

 

“Kevin…” Cecil said in a warning tone. He seemed to be doing more often, his way of scolding Kevin for whenver he tried to cover up his feelings with fake optimism. 

 

Kevin got the message and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry.”

 

“You’re fine,” Carlos said. “We have enough to work with now, thanks to your cooperation.”

 

Kevin looked like he was about to dismiss the statement with something modest, but the door opened. It was one of the guards. “Excuse me.”

 

“What is it?” Carlos asked, narrowing his eyebrows at the intrusion. None of the sessions had ever been inturrupted before. Not even when Kevin had nearly strangled him. What was so important?

 

The guard cleared his throat. “There’s a phonecall for the prisoner, sir.”

 

Immediately, Kevin let out a sharp gasp. Carlos and Cecil whipped their heads around to see him looking absolutely terrified, beginning to shake. “No,” he whispered. “No. No, no, no. It can only be one person, oh God, no, I can’t--”

 

Cecil got up and immediately went to Kevin’s side, placing his hands on his shoulders and whispering reassurances into his ear. Carlos looked back at the guard. “Sorry. Kevin isn’t taking any calls.”

 

“Are you sure about that?” the guard asked. “The person on the other line insisted the call be taken or else he was going to arrive in person. If that would be better--”

 

“No!” Kevin shouted, and Cecil shushed him easingly. It took a couple calming breaths before he was able to speak. “I-I’ll take the call.”

 

“Kevin…” Carlos bit his lip. This couldn’t be a good idea, not after all of the progress they had been making. He didn’t need to hear the name to know who was on the other side of the phone; he knew enough by the terror Kevin displayed oh so clearly. To bring someone who was so toxic and damaging back into his life… 

 

“I’ll go with you, okay?” Cecil offered. It seemed to offer some weight off of Kevin’s shoulders, but that wasn’t enough. “Carlos and I both. Right honey?“

 

Carlos nodded. “Yeah, of course,” he said. “Don’t worry, Kevin. You’re safe here with us. He can’t hurt you.”

 

Kevin didn’t look like he believed that, but he stood up anyway along with Cecil, using his arm for support. The guard directed the three to the telephone where the call awaited. It lie there, almost forebodingly, and Carlos leaned over to presser the ‘speaker’ button on it. There was no point in making Kevin have to listen alone.

 

Everyone was quiet for a few moments, and Kevin looked like he was having a hard time gathering up his courage. Carlos squeezed his shoulder encouragingly, and Cecil did the same with his hand. Kevin let out another deep breath. “H-Hello.”

 

“Kevin. How nice it is to hear from you again.”

 

The voice was deep, dark. It hid behind a poor facade of pleasantness, as if it didn’t care to hide its menacing tone. Kevin blinked quickly, as if trying to prevent tears. “What do you want, Diego?”

 

The man on the other line, Diego, chuckled. “Is that any way to address me, Kev? Don’t tell me you’ve reversed to your lesser self again.”

 

“It’s over,” Kevin said through gritted teeth. “Strex lost and you very well know that. Night Vale has been helping me get better, away from your reconditioning.”

 

“Reconditioning?” Diego had the nerve to sound aghast. “Oh, no. You know that’s not what it was. I was showing you my love, as well as the Smiling God’s. You understand that, don’t you? I’ve only ever done what was best for you. You were a mess before, after all. Is this how you show your gratitude?”

 

“You  _ ruined  _ me,” Kevin argued, although Carlos thought he could hear something in Kevin breaking. Something that had been only too recently mended. He petted him lightly, trying to remind him silently that he was in a better place now. He hoped it would work. 

 

“I helped you, and frankly, it seems you need more of my assistance,” Diego said matter-of-factly. “I suppose I should pick you up to get started as soon as possible. You’re so lucky to have someone so dedicated to you as I am, I just wish you realized it.”

 

“Please, s-stop…” Kevin pleaded in a broken whisper. 

 

“Are you crying?” Diego asked. “It’s because you know it’s true. You know that you’re being selfish, and ignorant for trying to turn my love away--”

 

Cecil scoffed, cutting Diego off. Perhaps he wasn’t expecting anyone else to be listening. “Love?” Cecil repeated. “You don’t know what the word means, in any sense. To love someone is to want their happiness, true and genuine. Not to manipulate them in such a disgusting way. If you love someone, and they love you back, there would be no need for it. You would understand what each other needed, and if there were things that you didn’t get, you would be willing to listen and learn about it. What you have for Kevin isn’t ‘love’. It’s a need to control him. Stop delluding yourself, and stop trying to drag him back into your life.”

 

There was nothing on the other end at first. Then, a clapping sound. “Beautiful,” Diego commented, as if he just heard a well-rehearsed monologue. “Cecil Palmer, correct? We’ve never met, but I remember hearing you on air. My, did Kev have a lot to say about you.”

 

Kevin cowered back, but Cecil wasn’t phased by the words. “I’m sure he did, thanks to your influence,” he said. “You really have lost. Strex belongs to the winged-creatures that are definitely  _ not  _ angels. Why won’t you leave Kevin be?”

 

“Why won’t you mind your own business?” Diego asked calmly. “I believe you’re stepping way out of line, Mr. Palmer. Ah, by the way. How is that niece of yours doing?”

 

Cecil tensed. That was a clear threat, and Carlos had remembered that another one of the Strex employees had brought Janice up to get to Cecil before as well. It was definitely a way to get Cecil to be quiet, and Kevin seemed to grow even more anxious when he realized this.

 

Carlos wasn’t going to let Diego get away with threatening either of them. “Diego, is it?” he asked. “From what I gathered from Kevin, you and me are doubles. Or at least share a strong physical resemblance. I just want you to know that as long as I’m alive, I won’t let you hurt anyone here, okay?”

 

“It can be easily arranged for you to be dead or otherwise, I assure you,” Diego replied smoothly.

 

“Can it?” Carlos challenged. “Valid points have been brought up against you. You have no company to back you up, and honestly, you took a near fatal blow with the fail invasion of Night Vale, morally and otherwise. So do tell, how exactly do you plan to do anything other than bluff?”

 

“Just because Strex is no longer under my power doesn’t mean I can’t take back what is rightfully mine,” Diego said, his voice growing a sharper edge to it. “Kevin belongs to me--”

 

“Kevin is his own individual person, actually,” Carlos said. “And if you can’t see that, I’d be more than happy to help out with a closer examination on your mind and eyesight. Maybe I’d be able to modify it, even. I may not be in the medical field, but science is science.”

 

“Are you threatening me?” Diego asked.

 

“That was a genuine offer,” Carlos said cheerfully. “I tend not to really ‘threaten’ though, if we’re being honest. If you mess with anyone I care about, and this includes Kevin, then I’ll just extract any necessary punishment without warning. I mean, it should be common sense in the first place, right?” Cecil caught Carlos’s eye, and although he seemed concerned at what Carlos had just said, there was a spark of excitement.  _ Jeez, Ceec, not now,  _ Carlos thought. 

 

Kevin actually spoke next, to Carlos’s surprise. “It won’t ever come to that, though,” he said, more stable than when he first picked up the call. Much more darker, as well. “If you ever try to get me back, I’ll deal with you personally. You don’t have any employees to back you up. I doubt you’ll be able to take me down by yourself.”

 

Diego sounded strained. “Kev--”

 

“DON’T CALL ME KEV!” Kevin shouted, making Cecil jump a little. “There was nothing ever between us, Diego! You know that! It was all fabricated to your vision, what happened between you and me. I fought back, you know that. Diego, you are  _ nothing  _ to me, do you understand that? If you ever lay a hand on me, or anyone else here, for that matter, I  _ will  _ kill you. Do you understand me?!”

 

That seemed to do the trick. After a moment of recovering from what Carlos hoped was shock and realization, Diego cleared his throat. “I see. This truly is disappointing. If you ever come to your senses, find me.”

 

That was all. There was a click, and the call was over. Kevin let out a relieved sob, putting a hand over his mouth. Both Carlos and Cecil threw their arms around him, and Kevin clung on to both of their arms. 

 

“Okay…” Kevin murmured to himself. “Okay,” he repeated, louder. “I think...I’m ready to continue. Let’s get back to the recovery, huh?”

 

And although he was still shaking, and their were tears that were barely being held back, it looked like a lot of fear had been washed away from him. He was starting to look more like a man who didn’t have everything taken away from him. He looked like he wasn’t going to let anything hold him back from this point on.

 

Carlos smiled and nodded. He stayed on one side of Kevin, Cecil stayed on the other side, and they walked back to the cell together, determined to make more progress.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'RE ALMOST DONE GUYS.


	8. Trial and Success

The trial, as expected, was very long and hectic.

 

Carlos was required to be there, and he witnessed day after day of Kevin growing more anxious as his lawyer, Troy Walsh, would constantly combat the words of the prosecutor, who was also Troy Walsh. (Carlos didn’t question these kinds of things anymore). 

 

“He was under an influence that was beyond his control!” Lawyer Troy would say.

 

“That does not change the fact that his actions almost put Night Vale under that very same influence!” Prosecutor Troy would counter.

 

Kevin would sink further into his seat with every topic raised, every new argument that could be used against him. Worry was clear in his eyes, and he would sit there, stiff as a board, in order to try and prevent himself from looking as guilty as he was feeling. It really wasn’t working.

 

Carlos jumped at every opportunity he could to give his own scientific analysis on Kevin’s situation. It seemed to be helping the case move forward, and more of the sympathy was leaning towards Kevin. 

 

However, the opinion was still mixed. It might have gone smoother if this was the first time Night Vale had been affected by the Desert Bluffs. Of course, while most of the blame was put on Strex, Night Vale already had a notorious hatred for their sister town. They had already wished horrible things upon its citizens  _ before  _ Strex. After everything that happened, however, some were practically begging to give Kevin a death sentence.

 

“Permission to speak?”

 

Prosecutor Troy was nearly about to snap at the new speaker, but his mouth closed when he saw who it was. Heads turned to see the brand new mayor of Night Vale standing at the doorway. Dana seemed nervous about suddenly having all of the attention on her. Carlos didn’t blame her; she was a young girl placed into a high position of power out of nowhere. No doubt she wasn’t used to this kind of authority. However, she did her best to hold her head high and play the part.

 

Carlos glanced over at Kevin to see his reaction to the newcomer, and saw that he had paled. His eyes widened, and he was beginning to tremble. Carlos sucked in a small breath. Oh, of  _ course.  _ Dana’s double had been Kevin’s intern before he saw her murdered before him. Seeing Dana as she was now must have certainly struck something. Carlos wished he could walk over and console Kevin, but unfortunately Kevin would have to be on his own for now.

 

The judge, who was extremely inexperienced, went ahead and said, “Yeah, sure, go ahead.”

 

Dana walked forward, ignoring all of the eyes following her. “Like many people who haven’t been able to come to the courtroom and see what was going on, I’ve been following Cecil’s constant reports so far,” she started. “And if you wouldn’t mind, I have some input of my own, as mayor.”

 

She was at the front now, and she looked over at Kevin with a soft expression. “The first time I ran into Kevin was in the Desert Bluffs,” she started. “It was nothing like Night Vale, not in the slightest. It was terrifying, with blood and teeth everywhere. Entrails were used decoratively. I want you all to take a moment and think not just about how much of a contrast that is from Night Vale, but the  _ reason  _ it got to be that way.

 

“We all experienced how tyrannical Strex is. Even more so than our own government. Had we not been victorious, we would have ended up just like Desert Bluffs. Strex is to blame here, not Desert Bluffs. They are our  _ neighbors,  _ neighbors who we couldn’t help out in their time of need. But that could change. We could change. With Strex gone, we can finally take the opportunity to offer our help, our compassion, and show what we’re all about.”

 

The courtroom was quiet. Carlos realized he was holding his breath. He had been afraid that nobody would see that perspective here, that the only thing that could be presented would be hard facts, no empathy. He himself had only been permitted to give science reports in the most scientific way possible, void of any true emotion.

 

Prosecutor Troy cleared his throat. “So you’re suggesting that the defendant be released without consequence, Mayor Cardinal?”

 

“Not...exactly,” Dana said, unsure. “I believe that Kevin, as well as the other citizens of Desert Bluffs, be kept a close eye on. I want them to receive proper care and for them to recover properly from all the damage inflicted on them by Strex. Carlos?”

 

Carlos immediately stood up. “Yes?”

 

“You have some sort of sciency-potion-thing, right?” Dana asked. “That’s how Kevin has been recovering?”

 

“Well, it certainly has played a big part, yes,” Carlos said. “As I’ve stated earlier, it hasn’t been the easiest week, and it’s not like he’s completely healed now. It takes time. But with the antidote, along with genuine care and patience, it’s not impossible to come back from what Strex has done.”

 

Dana smiled. “Well, there you have it. Rather than punishment, we should be helping our neighbors just as Carlos has with Kevin.” She turned back to the judge and Prosecutor Troy. “What say you? Do you...think you can consider it? Besides, you can’t really condemn someone for a crime they couldn’t personally prevent. That’s just not fair.”

 

Prosecutor Troy was about to say something, but the judge cut in. “I think now we will take the time for the jury to leave and make their decision. I’m sure they’ll take your suggestion into consideration, Mayor Cardinal.”

 

Kevin seemed like a little weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He caught Dana’s eyes, and while there was still guilt and fear at the sight of her, Carlos could see that he was grateful. Kevin then looked at the scientist himself, and smiled. It wasn’t the smile that he had donned all throughout his imprisonment or even before that. It was real; Carlos would go far enough to say that it was pure. There was a good chance of winning here.

 

All there was left to do was wait.

 

 

*****

 

 

“Wait- No, I couldn’t. Why would you even suggest it? That’s probably literally the last thing you want-”

 

Cecil was grinning to himself as Kevin stammered nervously. “It’s a genuine offer, Kevin.”

 

Kevin shook his head. “You wouldn’t want-”

 

“Nonsense.” Carlos stepped in and wrapped an arm around Cecil. “If we wouldn’t want it, we wouldn’t have said anything.

 

Kevin turned red, and he bounced on his heals. “You- You want me to  _ live  _ with you two.”

 

“Yup.”

 

“But  _ why though.” _

 

Cecil laughed, and Carlos found it nice. His boyfriend would have never thought of acting so carefree in front of Kevin in the past. He certainly would have never suggested Kevin live with them either. “You’ve been through a lot, honestly. And remember what the court said; you should be under constant supervision,” Cecil said.

 

Kevin gulped. “I thought it would be some random scientist or secret police officer-”

 

“All right, let’s put it this way,” Carlos cut in. “Cecil and I have discussed this before. We would very much like you to live with us, at least for the time being. You know, so you can collect yourself before going off on your own, like a bird leaving the nest all over again. Except we’re not going to push you off or anything because that would be rude and counter-intuitive-” He caught himself from rambling and paused for a moment. “The real question is, would  _ you  _ feel comfortable with those living arrangements?”

 

“You’d have your own room,” Cecil mentioned. “We have a guest bedroom, it’s literally never in use. And you can get a job at the radio station! If not, that’s totally fine, there are plenty of other places to get jobs as well here in Night Vale. However, yes, Carlos does have a point. You would need to be okay with all of this. We don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want to.”

 

Kevin bit his lip as he thought, looking back and forth from Carlos to Cecil. “I don’t want to be a burden…”

 

“You won’t be, trust us,” Carlos said. “You’re our friend, after all.”

 

At that, something in Kevin changed. His entire being seemed to beam like his sun shaped irises, and he grinned. “F-Friend. Yeah, of course, we’re friends. Gosh.” He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck, incredulously happy at the thought. “All right, if you two will have me...sure!”

 

“Fantastic!” Carlos said. Unintentionally simultaneously, he and Cecil both outstretched an arm toward Kevin. 

 

Kevin really couldn’t seem to believe his luck. He immediately stepped forward and hugged the both of them tightly. “Thank you,” he said, voice muffled in the embrace. “Oh God, thank you both. I couldn’t...Without you, who knows what would have happened to me?”

 

“We couldn’t give up on you,” Carlos murmured, patting Kevin’s back. “Wouldn’t dream of it. I knew you weren’t hopeless, after all.”

 

Kevin giggled at that, and Cecil couldn’t help but laugh again. “All right. Shall we head home?” he asked.

 

Kevin pulled away, looking at the couple with such bright hope. “Let’s.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's how Carlos and Cecil ended up temporarily adopting Kevin and they lived happily ever after!
> 
> Ahhh I'm sorry if the trial scene is weak, I was just eager to get this out there. I'm out of school on summer break and I finally found the motivation to write this again. (Good for me that I only had the conclusion left).
> 
> Thank you all for reading, and for all the nice encouraging comments! 
> 
> If you guys ever want to make a suggestion on a new fan fic idea, hmu at damnyoubandvwagon.tumblr.com !


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